Talk:Acrophobia

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[edit] Disambiguation Requested

It is somewhat difficult to search and find information regarding Six Flags Over Georgia's Intamin-manufactured Drop Tower attraction known as Acrophobia. It is somewhat related to the recent incident at Six Flags Kentucky Kingdom on their Superman Tower of Power ride. As such, many people may be researching it and will receive a link to this page with no disambiguation link or reference to the ride when searching for its name.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acrophobia_%28ride%29

72.15.79.28 13:45, 1 July 2007 (UTC) Julian Emmett Turner

[edit] Citation wanted: Urge to jump off high places

(The original poster left no headline. I made up one. --Netizen 12:08, 10 March 2006 (UTC))

"Some acrophobics also suffer from urges to throw themselves off high places, despite not being suicidal."

Is there a reference? I've done a search on the web for the definition for acrophobia & have only found http://www.medterms.com/script/main/art.asp?articlekey=9944 and variants of such (http://www.askoxford.com/concise_oed/acrophobia?view=uk , http://www.infoplease.com/dictionary/acrophobia).

My own experience of acrophobia includes the symptom I'm asking about, but is merely hearsay & anecdotal until a reference is given. wbm 17:10, 9 March 2006 (UTC)

Following Netizen's lead, I added the footnote indicator *{{citation needed}}* to the discussed line of text. I perhaps should've labelled it a minor edit, but was not sure. wbm 21:34, 16 March 2006 (UTC)
I'm afraid I can't provide a citation either but not marking the edit "minor" is quite alright. As per Help:Minor edit any change that makes the article "worth reviewing for anyone who watches it" should be marked major. Since peer review is exactly what is wanted by the "citation needed" tag "major change" it is. --Netizen 22:22, 16 March 2006 (UTC)
I nowikied the citation needed template so that this talk page does not show up in the NPOV disputes category. -- Kjkolb 18:34, 6 April 2006 (UTC)

Probably what they're experiencing is momentary confusion. They look for a path down and see one but it takes their brain a split second to reject it as unsafe. Since they instantaneously considered an unsafe route, they interpret the error as a signal to jump. Since they're not traveling down but staying in the same place they play the same loop over and over. They may feel OK in a plane when its clear from the get-go they can't climb down. We may be able to email and ask a specialist in the neurophysiology of motion. Cayte 00:38, 17 May 2006 (UTC)Cayte

Got an idea for an experiment. Set up various VR simulation landscapes. Monitor a subject with a PET and track the eye movements. Betcha it would track the most plausible path of ledges to ground. The computational power explains the dizzziness, the difficulty balancing and the seething quality of the valleyThe Pleisticene huntress in me scents a failsafe mechanism. Come worst case, the CNS is priming to attempt a last ditch ratchet to safety by jumping from latch to latch. A bit like tacking in a sailboat except no one has ever done the ratchet maneuver by choice and I'm sure the autonomic nervous system is charge at this point and the cortex is zoned out. .64.140.228.113 02:03, 23 May 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Irrational Fear?

It says it is an irrational fear. But should it be considered one? It's only completly irrational in more severe cases. Irrational seems more to be like Xenophobia...because theres no reason to be Xenophobia...but the fear of heights...that can make sense I mean falling of somthing high can kill you. Foreigners or strangers won't really do that (well I mean they could but so could anyone else that isn't a foreigner or stranger). So is it really all that "irrational"? Caleb09 01:00, 5 September 2006 (UTC)

I would have to say it's irrational. I'm a mild acrophobic, but there's no reason for it - I know there isn't a rational reason, and it'll be safe if I'm normal and keep my head, but my brain doesn't listen. So while there's a rational fear of heights, the cause of it can be and looks like it's irrational. --Dayn 10:57, 27 September 2006 (UTC)

The fear response involved in a phobia is, by definition, irrational. For example, if someone has a strong fear response when faced with a cobra, it's hardly irrational. If, however, they experience that same response when faced with a dead cobra encased in lucite, it is less rational. If you get a little nervous when on top of a ladder, that is a normal response. If you can not sit on someone's shoulders without hyperventilating in terror, that is more along the lines of a phobic response. Iconnu 19:06, 10 April 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Engvall

C'mon.. it can't be a coincidence that his name almost reads 'Scared Fall' in Dutch, right? -- Harry 10:36, 27 November 2006 (UTC)

[edit] Acrophobia - caused by fear?

Is that seriously the way to say it? I thought Acrophobia was a fear of heights or falling. How could the primary cause of a fear of heights be a fear of heights? I think there's some kind of issue, here... -JC 11:08, 17 January 2007 (UTC)

If it helps to make it more clear, think of it this way: It is not that the old thinking was that a fear of heights caused the phobia but rather that one or more traumatic incidents involving heights led to the development of the phobia. A general example of how this action is described in abnormal psych classes uses dogs. Say, you are bitten by a dog or see someone mauled by a dog. The next time you see a dog, you may be okay, or you may be afraid of the dog, depending on your personality. If you are afraid, you will likely take steps to avoid the dog, spurring a sense of relief by removing the source of the anxiety (this is what is referred to as negative reinforcement, btw). If the experience was especially traumatic or if the fear response is consistently reinforced over time, a phobia can develop. Iconnu 19:12, 10 April 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Photo comment

Isn't the comment under the photograph somewhat lame? Everybody would be scared standing at such hight while nearly falling off. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 146.175.220.59 (talk)

Response to above: Honestly, I couldn't believe it, but I just had a small panic attack looking at the photo in the top right of this page. For me, I don't even have to be in the place to feel extremely uncomfortable. Even seeing it on the screen like that makes me panic. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 24.251.84.221 (talk)

I love looking at articles for various phobias and seeing the first image is an example of what a person with this phobia would be scared of, like this article has a view of someone standing over a 1,122 ft drop and the page on arachnophobia has a picture of a massive spider (or atleast it did), and I imagine a person with this phobia looking up their fear and having to either quickly navigate away from the page or look away to avoid panic. Amusingly sadistic. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 86.10.110.87 (talk)

I could not agree more. I felt sick just looking at it. If one is slloking here for some help, being greeted with this picture is not on. So I'm removing it. IaErc —Preceding unsigned comment added by 91.104.247.210 (talk)

Wikipedia is not censored. If one needs help, they must seek for doctor, not wikipedia. Wikipedia will not help. `'Míkka 19:50, 15 July 2007 (UTC)

Many people are not understanding the photo on the first page of this selection.

This is a photo of a person standing partially on a 'glass floor' at the CN tower in Toronto. This viewing site is completely enclosed. There is an area with a glass floor and glass walls. There is no possibility of falling at all. It is meant to be a viewer location.

To most visitors, this is an attraction. To an acrophobic person, this is scary. To an extreme acrophobic - as I am - the mere sight of this photo is enough to cause fainting.

There is a difference.

Acrophobia is not quite as simple as a 'fear of heights'. When I was recently at the Statue of Liberty in New York, one of the 'highlights' of the visit was being able to walk around the perimeter of the base of the statue - whichi is significantly high enough off the ground. I was there with two friends. We proceeded out to the base, but I could not stand the height. I hugged the wall until I could get back inside. While I then felt safe, I was still irrationally worried about my friends - imagining them falling off the base, etc.

In other words, it is not just the irrational fear of heights as a danger to yourself, but also to those you care about.

Any thought on this? Aragonzo 05:25, 16 July 2007 (UTC)

Please understand the photos before commenting.

Aragonzo 05:06, 16 July 2007 (UTC)

I agree with the original comment that the photo is not really appropriate. Fear of such a height as displayed in the photo is very rational. I suspect that 95% of people who stand in that place would be afraid. Anyone who didn't have that gut feeling of fear would infact have a disorder, I forget what it's called. An irrational fear would be more aptly illustrated by someone struck with fear to the extent that they are unable to use an escalator or glass elevator in a shopping mall for instance. 82.46.233.8 10:41, 9 August 2007 (UTC)

[edit] The photo should go

I can sympathize with 24.251.84.221, 91.104.247.210 and Aragonzo, and I agree with 86.10.110.87 that this is sadistic. Wikipedia is not censored, but childish images like this (which I can imagine are added only for the sheer sadistic glee of being able to (omg Wikipedia is not censored!!!1 Watch what I can do!), or to make a WP:POINT) are completely unnecessary. I am strongly of the opinion that the image should be removed. As someone pointed out in their edit summary to Entomophobia, phobia triggers don't belong on phobia pages. - ∅ (∅), 13:40, 18 July 2007 (UTC)

Disagreed. If even a picture of high place causes real problem then the person in question better run to see a shrink, presto. We have all kind of censors here who dont like pictures of penises and big boobs and Michael Jackson. My granny will faint seeing any one of them. You say it is "sadistic glee", I say these anons are trolling. `'Míkka 15:34, 18 July 2007 (UTC)
"These anons" are Wikipedia editors, just like yourself. We're all equal here. - ∅ (∅), 16:02, 18 July 2007 (UTC)
I think there may be a bit of a misunderstanding here - I don't think anyone's arguing here that any and all potentially phobia-inducing pictures should be removed (because that would be all of them), just the ones that are on the page about the specific phobia they might induce. It's like putting a flashing gif on the page about grand mal epilepsy. (Please don't do that.) - ∅ (∅), 16:18, 18 July 2007 (UTC)
Let me put it in a different way: please provide a medical reference that a picture of a tall building will put an acrophobe into trouble. If you insist on "human rights" of anons, let me remind you that opinions of "Wikipedia editors, just like yourself" don't matter, and you have to prove the claim about the alleged harm using reputable sources. And by the way, it will be a useful addition to "phobia" article. `'Míkka 16:35, 18 July 2007 (UTC)
This isn't a content dispute. We're not discussing whether "a picture of a tall building will put an acrophobe into trouble", we're discussing whether this article needs this picture. That's an issue that has to be solved by editor consensus, not "reputable sources". - ∅ (∅), 09:25, 19 July 2007 (UTC)
Your argument "it makes people sick" is not substantated. On the contrary, there is the whose blossomimg brand of curing phobias called "Progressive Desensitization" which would actually say that this image helps to cure the suffering acrophobiacs. `'Míkka 20:06, 19 July 2007 (UTC)
Solve this how arachnaphobia did (even though the spider inclusion was obviously vandalism at the time) : find a picture that demonstrates someone displaying acrophobia, instead of a picture that MIGHT induce acrophobia in the readers. We chose a picture of Little Miss Muffet. It was very appropriate. -JC 18:18, 19 July 2007 (UTC)

I suffer from extreme acrophobia, and while the picture definitely made me flinch, and gave me that familiar (although brief) knot in my stomach, I wouldn't argue that it should be removed. I'm certainly not worried that I'm going to fall through my computer screen, and it makes a good example of what triggers the sensation. In fact, I came to this page expecting to see something along these lines.Sithboy 22:01, 13 August 2007 (UTC)

I just removed that picture as an anon just a moment ago. That was not cool. Scared the HELL out of me. I don't care if you can provide sources for it or not, the image is not needed for understanding the article, it does not assist understanding the article, it does not assist in anything. I don't care how you feel, that scared the living shit out of me, and putting that picture up IS sadistic. T-1 23:29, 19 August 2007 (UTC)

I restored the image and tweaked the image text. I don't think it is appropriate to remove the image, just because you find it discomforting. // Fulkkari 19:24, 22 August 2007 (UTC)
I reduced the size of the thumbnail. There's no need for it to be HUGE. - ∅ (∅), 20:01, 22 August 2007 (UTC)
We're not talking about discomfort. However, resizing the image was appropriate for me. Thanks for your solution. However, I still think the image adds nothing to the article, perhaps a more suitable one could be found, such as someone actually scared of heights. T-1 06:56, 23 August 2007 (UTC)
I completely agree that the photo should go, it's simply not needed in the article. Similar to arachnophobia, these articles are likely to be viewed by those with the phobia - it's not going to help having an image of the very thing they are petrified of. I've removed it for the moment, until consensus has been reached. Seaserpent85Talk 23:22, 15 September 2007 (UTC)

[edit] Tone it down

This article is treating acrophobia like some kind of debilitating condition. Everyone has some acrophobia, and for good reason: falling from high places CAN KILL YOU. Not irrational at all, everyone has and SHOULD HAVE some fear of heights. The only variance among people is the severity of their acrophobia. —Preceding unsigned comment added by 138.87.177.32 (talk) 02:24, 1 February 2008 (UTC)

The usual definition of a -phobia is that its an abnormally debilitating fear of something. That would imply that not everyone has it. Everyone could have a fear of heights, but only a subset would have acrophobia. This seems to be covered in the first sentence, at least. (John User:Jwy talk) 19:42, 1 February 2008 (UTC)